Marc Shaw

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that I am a suspension virgin but I have a few questions on terminology.

I have been readiing Jeff Curtis' excellent DIY on John Miles' site but have a few questions (my apologies to Jeff and John for borrowing the pictures from that DIY).

Okay, so he mentions the suspension "hats" - is that what I have circled in green below at the top of the front shock assembly? Is that the part that could be replaced by an aftermaket "camber plate" (like below) for more adjustability?

He also talks about the "spring perch/adjuster" - is that what is circled in blue in the rear shock assembly below?

Finally, which way around are progressive spings installed? Do you put the spring so that the coils that are closer together are at the top or bottom?

Thanks all. Marc

LouZ

Marc

Yes, the blue circled ares is the spring perch adjuster, this sets the ride height, and is used for the finite adjustment when corner balancing.

I just got my H&R progressive springs and those lovely "Irish Green" springs have the "stretched" portion of the spring in the middle. Also, they have identification marks painted on them so I would assume that they get installed so the writing is readable.

Marc Shaw

Thanks Lou.

I got the H&R street coilovers but I think the "stretched" part is just at one end - I'll have to have a look when I get home later today (and perhaps post a picture if I'm still confused).

Marc

kgorman

Yes, the part you have circled is the hat. In my other post, we just reused the existing ones after some gunk cleanup. I am not sure what parts you would retain/replace going to camber plates though.

We installed the springs such that the writing was readable.

warmfuzzies

I installed mine so I could read the writing the right way up, seemed logical to me.

kevin

pete000

I also installed them with the printing on the coil right side up (Readable, not upside down). I think this makes the coils towards the top of the shock squish down when the shock has the weight of the car on it. This is called the helper portion of the coil. It is so when the car uloads the coil will not shift. Some racing set ups actually have a second spring called the helper spring to accomplish this.

Marc Shaw

Thanks guys.

I am just slowly getting all the parts needed to put in the suspension - got a Snap-on 10mm 1/2 drive hex socket and some spring compressors ordered (nobody rents them locally) so I'll be all set soon.

Marc

Tom W

Ahh, I think simple physics says the orientation of the spring makes no difference. It compresses the same.

jimq

Hey Marc hop in the car and join in with Jeremy and myself when we do our changeouts after christmas (oops not politicaly correct in the US ) after the first holiday I should say! Its a bit warmer down here. I am soaking in all these threads lately on doing the change.

robbed666

Thats what I thought. Anyone with a reason to the contary ?

Marc Shaw

Well, everytime I install my tires I make sure the lettering is upright but as soon as I move the car it seems to change.

Marc

chris walrod

Aside from any fitment issues from the tapered-wire end of a progressive or 'dual rate' spring, it makes no difference which way they are installed.
Other than its easier to read the lettering

chris walrod

I'll add that since half the weight of the spring is considered unsprung weight, install the tapered end down

Jeremy Pinsly

Does one side of the shock allow for a better fitment of the spring than the other?

dougn

i installed mine lettering up on one side and down on the other. now my car will only turn left half the time.